Quick Poppy Seed Filling with Plum Jam

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Ingredients

Makes 7–8 pieces

• 150 g ground poppy seeds
• 280 ml of milk
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3–4 tablespoons of plum jam
• sweetener to taste, if using plum jam without added sugar

Method

1. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat it slowly. Add the ground poppy seeds and cinnamon, and cook over low heat for about 5–8 minutes, stirring constantly. The poppy seeds will gradually absorb the milk, and the mixture will begin to thicken.
2. Add the plum jam, mix thoroughly, and heat the filling briefly. Taste it, and add more sugar if needed, depending on how sweet the plum jam is.
3. Let the finished filling cool completely before using it. It will thicken a little more as it cools.

Poppy Seed Filling with Rum

Stir 1–2 tablespoons of high-quality rum into the finished, slightly cooled filling. Rum pairs wonderfully with plum jam, cinnamon, and poppy seeds, and gives the filling a more pronounced aroma. If you like, you can also add a handful of raisins that have been soaked in rum beforehand.

Poppy Seed Filling with Apple

Add one small, coarsely grated apple to the filling. If it’s very juicy, squeeze out some of the juice. Reduce the amount of milk to about 230–250 ml.

Add the apple to the poppy seeds while they're cooking, and simmer everything together for a few minutes. The filling will be lighter, juicier, and take on a pleasant fruity flavor. Lemon zest, cinnamon, or raisins are great additions.

Poppy Seed Filling with Pear

Instead of an apple, you can use one small, firm pear. Coarsely grate it and add it to the poppy seeds while cooking. In this case, too, start with about 230–250 ml of milk and add more only as needed.

Pears tend to be sweeter than apples, so taste the filling first before adding any additional sweetener. Cinnamon, vanilla, a pinch of cardamom, or a splash of rum go wonderfully with it.

Various Types of Plum Jam

You can use classic plum jam, but also pear or apple jam. Each variety will give the filling a slightly different flavor.

Other Seasoning Options

You can also add the following to the poppy seed filling:

• finely grated lemon or orange zest,
• vanilla,
• raisins,
• chopped walnuts or almonds,
• a pinch of ground cardamom,
• a few drops of lemon juice.

How to Adjust the Consistency

If the filling is too thick, add a little milk, one spoonful at a time. If, on the other hand, it’s too thin, let it cook for a few more minutes or stir in some ground nuts.

The filling should be soft but firm enough so that it doesn't leak out of the dough while baking.

Storage

Store the cooled filling in a sealed container in the refrigerator and use it within about three days. Stir it before use and dilute with a little milk as needed.